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07/21/2009, 03:13 PM | #1 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,076
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Dosing vodka Vs Sulphur Nitrate Filter !
Which is better for sps tank dosing vodka or Sulphur Nitrate Filter ?
and can i use them together ? |
07/21/2009, 05:18 PM | #2 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Ontario, Ohio
Posts: 4,937
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TMZ would be a good person to talk to over in the chemistry forum. He used both methods and found both useful but I know he would be able to elaborate a bit more than I could.
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Nate Current Tank Info: 15g Waterbox cube |
07/21/2009, 11:08 PM | #3 |
Ancient Eskimo Legend
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This thread has been moved to the current forum.
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The wind blew, the chit flew, and then they came two by two. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Current Tank Info: 375g Tanganyikan Tank & 470g mixed reef |
07/22/2009, 12:29 AM | #4 |
ReefKeeping Mag staff
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: West Seneca NY
Posts: 27,691
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I used them both concurrently .
The sulfur denitrator was very effective at reducing NO3 from around 80ppm to 0 ppm after about six weeks of use. About 4/5 weeks after starting the the sulfur, I started dosing small amounts of vodka mainly for PO4 control since the sulfur denitrator has no effect on that. I wasn't as optmistic about NO3 reduction via carbon dosing alone based on the experiences of others who had mixed and slow results. I also like to keep the carbon dose on the low side.( 24 ml vodka and 2ml vinegar daily for 550 gallons) so I wasn't going to keep upping the dose in an effort to make it work on nitrate. After about 2 weeks at 0 nitrate system water going in , the sulfur dentrator stared producing hydrogen sulfide even at a high flow rate.. I took it off line; opened it ;and .found lot's of bacterial mats. I don't think the carbon dosing caused the sulfide issue since hydrogen sulfide production in sulfur dentrators is common when nitrates are removed faster than supplied. I removed the denitrator with the intention of reducing the amount of sulfur in it by 75% to try to balance it off against my systems nitrate production. I never had to put it back on line since ,to my pleasant surprise ,the vodka/vinegar dosing has held nitrates at around 2ppm without the denitrator for the last 5 months. This dosing also helps maintain PO4 at .02 to .06ppm . I do use some gfo but was getting PO4 of around .15 to .25 ppm with the same amount of gfo before dosing.
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Tom Current Tank Info: Tank of the Month , November 2011 : 600gal integrated system: 3 display tanks (120 g, 90g, 89g),several frag/grow out tanks, macroalgae refugia, cryptic zones. 40+ fish, seahorses, sps,lps,leathers, zoanthidae and non photosynthetic corals. |
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